The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) warned against Israeli authorities’ crackdown on free expression on Thursday, calling on officials to release detained journalist and activist Israel Frey.

CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah said Frey’s arrest “underscores authorities’ growing intolerance of freedom of expression since the start of the war on October 7, 2023.” Qudah added, “Israeli authorities must immediately release Frey and all detained Palestinian journalists, and end their ongoing crackdown on the press and dissenting voices.”

Israeli officials opened a criminal investigation into the journalist, accusing him of inciting terrorism online. Police then arrested and detained Frey on Wednesday, and a court extended his detention by three days on Thursday.

Following the news that an explosive device in northern Gaza killed five Israeli soldiers, Frey tweeted, “The world is a better place this morning without five young men who participated in one of the most horrific crimes against humanity.” Frey’s attorneys, Riham Nassra and Michal Pomeranz, told CPJ that the tweet does not legally constitute support for terrorism, describing the incident as a “political arrest.”

The incident comes amid broader concerns about press freedom in Israel. Last month, CPJ criticized new Israeli government directives requiring foreign media and individuals to obtain military approval before reporting from combat zones or missile impact areas. CPJ and other press organizations have condemned the measures as an escalation of censorship and intimidation, warning they severely undermine independent reporting and public accountability.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, the Israeli military campaign has resulted in at least 57,882 deaths and 138,095 injuries since October 7, 2023.